Class Teacher: Mrs Holland
Teaching Assistant: Ms Bailey

Welcome back!

We hope you had a lovely, restful break and are ready for another exciting term of learning, exploring and achieving together. We have lots of exciting learning planned for the Autumn Term and are looking forward to seeing the children develop their knowledge, skills and confidence across all areas of the curriculum.

This term, we will be exploring a range of fiction and non-fiction texts to develop our writing skills. We will focus on developing a clear writing structure and organising our ideas effectively, while also choosing vocabulary carefully to make our writing interesting and engaging. We will be developing our use of grammatical structures, including fronted adverbials, metaphors and expanded noun phrases, and applying these skills within our own writing.

In our SPaG lessons, we will be revising and strengthening our knowledge from previous years. We will revisit important word classes and grammatical features, including verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions and determiners. We will then apply this knowledge to our writing so that we can become increasingly confident and accurate writers.

Throughout the term, we will enjoy a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts. Our reading lessons will focus on developing fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills. We will practise reading accurately, confidently and with expression, while also exploring new vocabulary and developing our understanding of what we read. We will also work on inference and deduction, encouraging children to think carefully about what the author is telling us, both directly and indirectly. We hope to encourage a love of reading and inspire children to become enthusiastic, independent readers.

In Science, we will be exploring the fascinating world of living things and their habitats. We will learn how plants and animals can be classified into different groups and investigate how living things reproduce. We will also explore how plants and animals are adapted to their environments and consider how these adaptations help them to survive. Throughout our learning, we will develop our scientific enquiry skills by asking questions, making observations, carrying out investigations and explaining what we discover.

In Art, we will explore the world of digital and graphic design. We will investigate how artists and designers use colour, images, typography and layout to communicate ideas and messages effectively. We will develop our own graphic design skills by creating a poster promoting our school values, Aspire and Adapt. We will think carefully about our design choices and consider how we can use visual elements to communicate a clear and powerful message.

Get ready to travel back in time as we learn about the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. We will investigate why they came to Britain, how they settled and fought for control, and the impact they had on Britain. We will learn about important historical figures such as Alfred the Great and explore what life was like for Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, including their homes, food and culture. We will also investigate the different regions and kingdoms of Britain during this period and explore how this fascinating period of British history eventually came to an end in 1066. Throughout the topic, we will use historical evidence to help us understand what life was really like during this time.

Our PSHE learning this term will link closely with our school value of Working Together. We will explore what makes an effective team and develop important skills such as communication, cooperation, listening, problem-solving and supporting others. We will consider the importance of valuing everyone's ideas and contributions and learn that when we work together, listen to one another and support each other, we can achieve more.

In RE, we will explore different experiences, ideas and beliefs about the existence of God. We will consider why some people believe that God exists and why others may not share this belief. We will explore different religious experiences and viewpoints and consider arguments for and against the existence of God. Children will be encouraged to discuss and share their ideas respectfully while developing an understanding that people can have very different beliefs and experiences.

We have an exciting opportunity this term to take part in ukulele lessons. These lessons will take place on Wednesday mornings, where children will learn how to play notes, chords and rhythms and develop their musical skills. With permission, children may be able to bring their ukulele home to practise the notes and rhythms they have learned in their lessons.

We are particularly looking forward to ending our ukulele learning with a special performance for parents and families. The date of the performance is currently to be confirmed, and we will share further details with you once arrangements have been finalised.

Children should wear their PE kit to school every Wednesday. Please ensure that children come to school ready for their PE lesson.

Our weekly spelling test will take place on Thursdays. Please encourage children to practise their weekly spellings at home.

Please ensure that reading books are returned to school on Mondays. This allows us to check reading books and provide children with new books when appropriate.